Imelda Staunton
- Highest Rated: Paddington 2 (2018)
- Lowest Rated: Three and Out (2008)
- Birthday: Jan 9, 1956
- Birthplace: London, England, UK
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With an expansive range that stretches from Shakespeare to Chicken Run and just about everything in between, actress Imelda Staunton has, not surprisingly, become one of the most highly respected actresses working in the U.K. If her penchant for playing what many would consider to be mundane, everyday characters found Staunton criminally overlooked in the early years of her career, it was her keen ability to inject those characters with a remarkable complexity that eventually made the stage mainstay-turned-small-screen powerhouse one of Britain's most sought-after talents.A London native and graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Staunton wasted no time launching her career following graduation, becoming associated with such prestigious venues as The Old Vic and the National Theatre. A trio of productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company gained her numerous critical accolades, and in 1986 Staunton made an impressive television debut in the legendary BBC production of Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective. Increasingly busy throughout the 1990s, Staunton continued to gain momentum on-stage while earning three Oliviers for her performances in the The Corn Is Green, A Chorus of Disapproval, and Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods. As Staunton's numerous stage roles continued to earn her critical success, frequent television and film roles made her a familiar and endearing face to the general public. Though many of her U.K. television roles went unseen by stateside audiences, supporting roles in such features as Much Ado About Nothing, Sense and Sensibility, and Shakespeare in Love found Staunton slowly working her way into the conscience of U.S. film buffs as well. Moving into the new millennium, Staunton's roles in such films as Chicken Run (for which she provided the voice of Bunty), Crush, Bright Young Things, and I'll Be There found the established television actress actively distancing herself from the small screen in favor of feature films. Of course, every actor dreams of the breakthrough role that will make him or her an international star, and for Imelda Staunton that role was of a 1950s era abortionist caught in a downward spiral in director Mike Leigh's 2004 drama Vera Drake. Her undeniably affecting portrayal of the title role -- a selfless housewife and cleaning woman who makes a name for herself performing illegal abortions -- earned her near-universal praise. After earning accolades from both The Venice Film Festival and The New York Film Festival as well as the Los Angeles and Chicago film critic associations, Staunton had undeniably arrived when the role earned her a Best Actress nomination for the 77th Annual Academy Awards.Subsequent roles in the U.K. television comedy Little Britain as well as the features Nanny McPhee and Freedom Writers served well to introduce her to entirely new, often American, audiences. In 2007, just one year after appearing in a colorful Masterpiece Theatre production of the children's classic The Wind and the Willows, she remained in the world of fantasy for her role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Staunton played Dolores Umbridge -- the latest in a long line of Defense Against the Dark Arts professors -- whose severe disposition drew the ire of Harry Potter himself. She was part of the cast of the well-respected television production Cranford, and appeared in the inspirational drama Freedom Writers. She teamed with Mike Leigh again for 2010's Another Year, and that same year she appeared in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. She continued to work in animated family films such as Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! Band of Misfits.
Highest Rated Movies
-
Paddington 2
100% -
Antonia & Jane
100% -
-
Paddington
97%
Filmography
Movies
Rating |
Title |
Credit |
Box
|
Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
40% | Maleficent: Mistress of Evil | Knotgrass | — | 2019 |
84% | Downton Abbey | Actor | — | 2019 |
68% | Finding Your Feet | Sandra | — | 2018 |
100% | Paddington 2 | Aunt Lucy | — | 2018 |
Harry Potter: Journey Through a History of Magic | Narrator | — | 2017 | |
97% | Paddington | Aunt Lucy | $85.9M | 2015 |
91% | Pride | Hefina | — | 2014 |
53% | Maleficent | Knotgrass | $190.9M | 2014 |
That Day We Sang | Actor | — | 2014 | |
89% | London: The Modern Babylon | Actor | — | 2013 |
The Girl | Alma Hitchcock | — | 2012 | |
61% | The Awakening | Maud Hill | $0.2M | 2012 |
86% | The Pirates! Band of Misfits | Queen Victoria | $31.1M | 2012 |
The Pirates! An Adventure With Scientists | Queen Victoria | — | 2012 | |
92% | Arthur Christmas | Mrs. Santa | $46.5M | 2011 |
96% | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 | Dolores Umbridge | $381.1M | 2011 |
Guilty Hearts | Actor | — | 2011 | |
92% | Another Year | Janet | $3.3M | 2010 |
77% | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 | Dolores Umbridge | $295M | 2010 |
51% | Alice in Wonderland | Tall Flower Faces | $319.4M | 2010 |
A Bunch of Amateurs | Actor | — | 2009 | |
48% | Taking Woodstock | Sonia Teichberg | $7.4M | 2009 |
Return to Cranford | Actor | — | 2009 | |
64% | How About You | Hazel | — | 2008 |
17% | Three and Out | Rosemary Cassidy | — | 2008 |
78% | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | Dolores Umbridge | $292M | 2007 |
70% | Freedom Writers | Margaret Campbell | $36.5M | 2007 |
Shakespeare Retold | Actor | — | 2007 | |
The Wind in the Willows | Actor | — | 2006 | |
73% | Nanny McPhee | Mrs. Blatherwick | $47.2M | 2006 |
Shadow Man | Ambassador Cochran | — | 2006 | |
My Family and Other Animals | Mother | — | 2005 | |
Fingersmith | Mrs. Sucksby | — | 2005 | |
41% | National Lampoon's Blackball | Bridget | — | 2005 |
92% | Vera Drake | Vera Drake | $3.7M | 2004 |
65% | Bright Young Things | Lady Brown | $0.9M | 2004 |
50% | I'll Be There | Dr. Bridget | — | 2003 |
36% | Crush | Janine | $1.1M | 2002 |
Another Life | Ethel Graydon | — | 2001 | |
Rat | Conchita | — | 2000 | |
97% | Chicken Run | Bunty | $106.7M | 2000 |
Jack and the Beanstalk | Actor | — | 2000 | |
David Copperfield | Mrs. Micawber | — | 1999 | |
92% | Shakespeare in Love | Nurse | — | 1998 |
76% | Twelfth Night | Maria | — | 1998 |
98% | Sense and Sensibility | Charlotte Palmer | — | 1995 |
88% | Citizen X | Mrs. Burakova | — | 1995 |
Deadly Advice | Beth Greenwood | — | 1993 | |
90% | Much Ado About Nothing | Margaret | — | 1993 |
71% | Peter's Friends | Mary | — | 1992 |
100% | Antonia & Jane | Jane | — | 1991 |
Comrades | Betsy Loveless | — | 1989 |
TV
Rating |
Title |
Credit |
Year |
---|---|---|---|
90% |
A Confession
2019
|
Karen Edwards |
|
The Graham Norton Show
2007
|
Guest |
|
|
Cranford
2007-2009
|
Miss Octavia Pole Miss Pole |
|
|
Masterpiece
1971-2014
|
Miss Octavia Pole Mother Mrs. Micawber Barge Lady Louie Miss Pole |
|
|
Midsomer Murders
|
Christine Cooper Christina Cooper |
|
|
82% |
Tales from the Crypt
1989-1996
|
|
|
Little Britain
2003-2005
|
|
||
100% |
The Singing Detective
1986
|
Nurse White |
|
QUOTES FROM Imelda Staunton CHARACTERS
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Professor Snape, you first applied for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts, did you not?
- Severus Snape
-
Yes.
- Dolores Umbridge
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And you were unsuccesful?
- Dolores Umbridge
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And you were unsuccessful?
- Severus Snape
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Obviously.
- Bunty
-
The chances of us getting out of here are a million to one.
- Ginger
-
Then there's still a chance.
- Queen Victoria
-
What is your name Pirate Captain?
- The Pirate Captain
-
They call me "The Pirate Captain"!
- The Pirate Captain
-
They call me 'The Pirate Captain'!
- Dolores Umbridge
-
I will have order!
- Queen Victoria
-
I HATE PIRATES!
- Bunty
-
What brings you to England Mr. Rhodes?
- Rocky
-
Why.... All the beautiful English chicks of course. (Winks at a fainting chicken)
- Rocky
-
Why... All the beautiful English chicks of course. [inks at a fainting chicken]
- Mrs. Santa
-
"Sing 'silent night' backwards."
- Mrs. Santa
-
Sing 'silent night' backwards.
- Santa
-
"Who would know that?"
- Santa
-
Who would know that?
- Arthur
-
(Sings silent night backwards)
- Arthur
-
[sings silent night backwards]
- Mrs. Santa
-
"Malcolm. What's this about Arthur?"
- Mrs. Santa
-
Malcolm. What's this about Arthur?
- Mrs. Santa
-
"Arthur and Grandsanta are out there. Probably not wearing nearly enough layers and you two are fighting over a big red toy!"
- Mrs. Santa
-
Arthur and Grandsanta are out there. Probably not wearing nearly enough layers and you two are fighting over a big red toy!
- Mrs. Santa
-
"Maybe you should retire."
- Mrs. Santa
-
Maybe you should retire.
- Santa
-
"Sitting with Grandsanta all day. Watching Steve on tv. Who would I be?"
- Santa
-
Sitting with Grandsanta all day. Watching Steve on TV. Who would I be?
- Mrs. Santa
-
"You'd be my Malcom, dear."
- Mrs. Santa
-
You'd be my Malcom, dear.
- Mrs. Santa
-
"Men..."
- Mrs. Santa
-
Men...
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Study hard and you will be rewarded, Fail to do so and the consequences maybe severe.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences maybe severe.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
ordinary wizarding level also known as owl
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Ordinary wizarding level, also known as O.W.L.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
I Will Have Order!
- Dolores Umbridge
-
[to Harry, Hermione and the Centaurs] I WILL have order!
- Dolores Umbridge
-
you have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large. this is a lie
- Dolores Umbridge
-
You have been told that a certain dark wizard is at large once again. This is a lie.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Your Lying, wands only choose whitches and you are not a whitch.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Wands only choose witches or wizards. You are not a witch.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
Please, tell them I mean no harm.
- Harry Potter
-
Sorry, Professor, but I must not tell lies.
- Dolores Umbridge
-
[over P.A] Boys and girls are not to be within eight inches of each other.
- Mary
-
On a scale of one to ten, how happy would you say you are, Janet?
- Gerri
-
On a scale of one to ten, how happy would you say you are, Janet?
- Janet
-
One.
- Mary
-
One. I think there's room for improvement there, don't you?
- Gerri
-
One. I think there's room for improvement there, don't you?
- Dolores Umbridge
-
As I told you, Mr. Potter, naughty children deserve to be punished.